Apparatus for lasting footwear



June 14, 1966 G. T. RALPHS APPARATUS FOR LASTING FOOTWEAR 4 Sheets-Sheet 1 Filed June 5, 1964 June 14, 1966 G. T. RALPHS 3,255,475

APPARATUS FOR LASTING FOOTWEAR Filed June 5, 1964 4 Sheets-Sheet 2 Inventor GEORGE TREVOR RALPHS by Afiorneyj.

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June 14, 1966 G. T. RALPHS 3,255,475

APPARATUS FOR LASTING FOOTWEAR Filed June a, 1964 4 Sheets-Sheet 5 lnvenfor GEORGE TREVOR RALPHS Attorneys June 14, 1966 G. T. RALPHS 3,255,475

APPARATUS FOR LASTING FOOTWEAR Filed June 5, 1964 l venior GEORGE TREVOR RALPHS Fl 6. 8

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4 Sheets-Sheet 4 United States Patent 3,255,475 APPARATUS FOR LASTING FOOTWEAR George Trevor Ralphs, Oadby, England, assignor to Ralphs Unified Limited, Leicester, England Filed June 5, 1964, Ser. No. 372,962 Claims priority, application Great Britain, July 1, 1959, 22,601/59; Dec. 23, 1963, 50,773/63 Claims. (Cl. 12-144) This invention is for improvements in or relating to apparatus for lastingfootwear and the present application is a continuation in part of US. application Serial No. 39,911 filed June 30, 1960, now Patent No. 3,141,183.

. This patent relates more particularly to a mould for use in association with the heel end of a shoe during the performance of heel seat lasting operations thereon, the term shoe being used herein, wherever the context so permits, in a broad sense to include all forms of outer footwear. The invention has for one of its objects to provide simple,

convenient and effective apparatus for use in conforming the heel end portions of shoes during lasting operations.

In acordance with the invention there is.provided for use in a lasting machine for operating on the heel end of a shoe, an inflatable mould of generally horse shoe shape in plan comprising a curved rear portion and forwardly extending side portions to embrace the heel end of a shoe upper, said side portions being yieldable laterally of the mould to enable the mould to be applied to and be caused to grip the heel end of the shoe upper, a relatively hard boundary portion provided on said mould to engage with the shoe upper adjacent to the feather line, and an inner facing sheet which presents to the shoe an engaging surface extending continuously from the feather line to beyond the height of the shoe upper around the heel end thereof. Such an inflatable mould enables the shoe upper when on a last or form to have its heel end held firmly against the last or form at the region of the feather line whilst the lasting margin is turned over onto the insole and secured in place during the lasting operation, and at the same time by inflation of the mould, the heel end part of the upper material can be shaped or moulded in a required manner to conform to the shape of the last or form thereby enabling a well formed heel portion to be produced in a simple and effective manner. The relatively hard boundary portion on the mould serves to enable the shoe upper to be held firmly and precise shaping of the heel at the feather line to be secured.

In a convenient construction the mould comprises two rigid backing plates adapted to extend around the heelward end of a shoe and pivoted to one another at the position of the heel end and having mounted thereon a horse-shoe shaped assembly comprising a backing member, the said inner facing sheet, and an inflatable bag interposed between the backing member and the inner facing sheet, which assembly is adjustable laterally of the mould by relative pivotal movement of the backing plates. The backing member may have a solid part to provide the relatively hard boundary portion of the mould. Such solid part may be of tapering cross section with its thickest part at the region of the feather line.

The inflatable bag may be formed as a tube extending round the mould and having its ends closed by means serving to clamp it to the backing plates at the free ends of the side portions of the mould.

The foregoing and other provisions of the invention are incorporated in a convenient form of flexible mould and a modification thereof which are illustrated by way of example in the accompanying drawings and will now be described with reference to the drawings in which:

FIGURE 1 is an under plan view of a flexible mould for engaging the heel part of a shoe upper,

FIGURE 2 is an end view of a portion of the mould,

FIGURE 3 is a cross sectional view taken on the line III-III of FIGURE 1,

FIGURE 4 is a similar cross sectional view taken on the line IV-IV of FIGURE 1,

FIGURE 5 is a view in transverse cross section showing the heel part of a shoe upper on a last or form with the flexible mould embracing it,

FIGURE 6 is a plan view showing somewhat diagrammatically the manner of operating the mould, and

FIGURES 7 and 8 are views corresponding to inversions of FIGURES 3 and 4 respectively, but illustrating a modified construction. v

The invention is illustrated in a form suitable for use with a lasting machine as described in the above-mentioned patent. The flexible mould assembly is shown more particularly in FIGS. 1 to 4 and as viewed in plan is of horse-shoe shape to embrace the heel end of a shoe when on a last 23, FIG. 5.

The mould assembly comprises two rigid backing plates 52 and 53, FIGS. 1 and 5, each of part horse-shoe shape and pivoted to one another at 54 on a pivot pin which supports them from a mounting bracket 51. The pivotal axis 54 extends heightwise at the centre of the back of the mould, that is centrally of the arcuate end of the horse-shoe-shape. FIG. 1 shows the mould assembly as seen from below with the backing plates 52 and 53 in edge view and shows also part of horse-shoeshaped plates 55 and 56 and similarly shaped clamping strips 57 and 58 which are associated with the backing strips 52' and 53. These parts form the combined mounting for a semiflexible inner facing sheet 59 forming the operative shoe engaging face of the mould, which face presents to the shoe an engaging surface extending continuously from the feather line to beyond the height of the shoe upper.

From the several views in FIGS. 1 to 4 it will be seen that the sheet 59 extends up the mould against the back ing plates 52 and 53 then horizontally inwards and down inside of the mould having its lower edges clamped between the backing plates 52 and 53 and the plates 55 and 56 and between the latter plates and the strips 57, there' being provided at intervals clamping screws 60 passing through members 52, 53, 57 and 58 into members 55 and 56 to anchor the lower edges of the sheet material 59 firmly in place. The sheet 59 is thus held to the form of a tubular pocket extending around the horseshoe shape of the mould from end to endthereof. At the two ends of the mould the sheet 59 is anchored by' means which also serve to close the ends of its tubular shape. These means comprise a shaped centre block 61 seen in FIGS. 2 and 4 which fits within the inner and outer par-ts of sheet 59, and a clamping strip 62 which extends down the inside of the inner part of the sheet 59 and over the top portion of the sheet 59. The side edges of the latter are clamped partly between the backing plate 52 or 53 and the block 61 by means of screws 63 engaging in the block 61, and partly between the block 61 and the clamping strip 62 by means of other screws 64 engaging in the block 61. In the region of the pivot 54 the members 55 and 56 and the clamping strips 57 and 58 are cut back (FIG. 1) to enable the arms of the mould assembly to be moved inwardly and outwardly to clamp and release a shoe as and when required. When such movement takes place the lower edge of the inner part of the sheet 59 at the position indicated at 65 in FIG. 1 adjacent to the hinge 54 is permitted to bellows inwardly to accommodate the movement. 7

Between the edges of the members 55 and 56 at the region of the hinge there is preferably a bridging sheet, not shown, extending above them across the gap. This bridging sheet serves to retain at this place within the tubular form of the sheet 59 an inflatable bag 66 conveniently formed by a rubber tube sealed at its ends and extending throughout the length of. the tubular form of the sheet 59. The inflatable bag 66 has a tubular connection 66a through which it is inflated and preferably has interposed between it and the outer portion of the sheet 59 a semi-flexible backing member in the form of a strip 67 of a width to extend throughout the depth of the mould. At the upper part of the mould further packing indicated at 68 is provided to form a solid part on the backing member 67 by narrower strips which pack the upper edge of the mould between the bag and the top portion of the sheet 59 so as to cause it to have a relatively incompressible character at this part which is required to engage with the heelward part of a shoe upper at the region of the feather line. The solid part 68 is tapered in cross section being thickest at the region of the feather line. The backing plates 52 and 53, at positions removed from the pivot 54, are fitted with angle brackets 69 slotted at 70 for connection to means for varying the width of the mould assembly. It will be seen from FIGURES 3 and that the solid part 68 of the backing member 67 is somewhat recessed to receive and partly embrace the inflatable bag 66.

As shown in FIGURE 6 the width of the mould assembly is varied to move the sides of the mould toward one another for engagement with the heel part of a shoe assembly by means of fluid pressure cylinders 71, one at each side, these being coupled by means of coupling members 72 to'the angle brackets 69 and being pivoted at 73 to fixed parts 74 of the frame of a heel seat lasting machine.

When the inflatable mould is in use on a heel seat lasting machine the heel end part of the shoe upper U on a last or form 23 is embraced by the mould causing the upper U to be gripped positively, at the region of the feather line while lasting wipers 75 are moved in across the top of the mould to lay the lasting margin M of the upper material on the marginal part of an insole I, such lasting margin being conveniently secured in lasted position by an appropriate adhesive.

In the modified construction illustrated in FIGS. 7 and 8 the construction of the mould is very similar to that of the earlier figures except for the fact that a backing member is provided which has a sharper projection in cross section reaching towards the feather line of a shoe to be lasted, and said backing member has an internal down-turned lip reaching from the feather line level to form a recess behind it of substantial height in which the inflatable bag is engaged. Such down turned lip is tapered in thickness to provide for a smooth transition from the relatively hard feather line portion of the mould to the more yieldable lower part thereof.

In FIGURES 7 and 8 one of two rigid backing plates (corresponding to the plates 52 and 53 of the earlier construction) is shown at 153. This and its companion backing plate (not shown) to which it is pivoted, as in the construction of FIGURES 1 to 6, together form a generally horse-shoe shaped support for a horse-shoe shaped assembly comprising a backing member 168, an inner facing sheet 159 and an inflatable bag 166 interposed between the facing sheet 159 and part of the backing member 168. The inner facing sheet 159 extends down the inside face of the mould from the position of the feather line on a shoe to beyond the height of the shoe upper and in the construction shown across the top of the backing member 168 and down behind the latter, being clamped to the plate 153 by means of an inner plate 167. The bottom edge of the inside portion of the facing sheet 159 is held in place between an arcuate plate 155 and a clamping strip 157, there being a similar plate and clamping strip at the other side of the mould. The backing member 168 is formed of a relatively incompressible but somewhat resilient material moulded to shape and formed at the upper end with a relatively sharp edged inward projection at the level against the feather-line of the shoe so that the facing sheet 159 assumes a similar form at this point and can bear against a shoe close up to the feather-line. At the level of the projection 165 the backing member is solid through to the plate 167 and below it the member has a downward projecting lip 169 tapering in thickness downwardly and forming a recess 170 behind it. The inflatable bag 166 fills this recess and extends downwardly against the lower part of the inner face of the sheet 159. Thus there is presented inwardly to the shoe a resiliently hard top part at the feather-line region and a more yieldable lower part, the lip 169 providing for a gradual reduction in hardness with a smooth transition from the relatively hard portion to the more yieldable and softer lower part of the mould.

The inflatable bag 166 is conveniently formed as a hollow tube reaching around the horse-shoe shape of the mould with its ends closed by being clamped between flat members where the ends of the inner facing sheet 159 are also secured. FIG. 8 shows the construction at one end wherein the closed end of the inflatable bag 166, together with the end of the outer part of the facing sheet 159 is clamped against the backing plate 153 by means of a clamping strip 161. This plate and strip are secured together by screws, rivets or the like (not shown). The end of the inner part of the facing sheet 159 is then held in place against the strip 161 by another clamping strip 162 which has a turned over upper end 162a to embrace the top of the facing sheet 159 above the strip 161. The strip 162 is secured to the strip 161 by screws, rivets or the like.

What I claim is:

1. For a footwear lasting machine for lasting a shoe upper, an inflatable mould of generally horse-shoe shape in plan and comprising a curved rearportion and forwardly extending side portions to embrace an end part of a shoe upper; means permitting the said side portions to be yieldable laterally of the mould to enable the mould to be applied to and to grip the end part of a-shoe upper, said mould having a backing member and relatively hard boundary portion carried thereby to engage with a shoe upper adjacent to its feather line, an inflatable bag contained in the mould inwardly of the backing member and having a portion adjacent to said relatively hard portion, and an inner facing sheet provided on the interior of the mould and presenting to a shoe an engaging surface extending continuously from the feather line to a point beyond the height of a shoe upper around the end thereof, said facing sheet being backed partly by the said relatively hard boundary portion throughout the feather edge portion thereof and partly by the said inflatable bag.

2. For a footwear lasting machine for lasting a shoe upper, an inflatable mould of generally horse-shoe shape in plan comprising an outer supporting shell shaped to extend around one end and partly along the sides of a shoe upper, and a horse-shoe shaped assembly mounted Within said shell and comprising a backing member presenting a relatively hard boundary portion extending around the upper edge of the mould at a level adjacent to the feather line of a shoe upper when in the mould, an inner facing sheet, and an inflatable bag interposed between said inner facing sheet and part of the backing member adjacent said relatively hard boundary portion, said inner facing sheet on the interior of the mould presenting to a shoe a continuous unbroken engaging surface extending continuously from the feather line of a shoe upper to a point beyond the height of a shoe upper and being backed partly by the said relatively hard boundary portion of the backing member and partly by the inflatable bag.

3. A mould according to claim 2 wherein the said outer supporting shell comprises two rigid side plates pivoted at the closed end of the mould for relative movement laterally of the mould to adjust the spread thereof and the side parts of the said horse-shoe shaped assembly are attached respectively to said side plates.

4. A mould according to claim 2 wherein the backing member has a solid part to provide the relatively hard boundary portion of the mould.

5. A mould according to claim 4 wherein the solid part of the backing member which provides the relatively hard boundary portion of the mould is formed of tapering cross section with its thickest part at the region of the feather line.

6. A mould according to claim 4 wherein the solid part of the backing member is recessed to receive and partly embrace the inflatable bag.

7. A mould according to claim 3 having the inflatable bag formed as a tube extending round the mould and means closing the ends of the tube and serving to clamp it to the side plates at the free ends of the side portions of the mould.

8. A mould according to claim 3 including power operated means coupled to the side plates for moving the sides of the mould towards one another.

9. A mould according to claim 2 wherein the inner facing sheet extends down the inside face of the mould across the top thereof and between the supporting shell and the backing member.

10. A mould according to claim 3 comprising clamping strips clamping the edges of the inner facing sheet to the side plates and means securing said clamping strips at intervals to the side plates but terminating short of the region where the side plates are pivoted for relative movement.

References Cited by the Examiner UNITED STATES PATENTS 1,979,000 10/ 1934 Kambarian 12-8.2 2,730,733 1/1956 Walsh 1214.4X

FOREIGN PATENTS 228,196 11/1943 Switzerland.

20 JORDAN FRANKLIN, Primary Examiner.

P. D. LAWSON, Assistant Examiner. 

1. FOR A FOOTWEAR LASTING MACHINE FOR LASTING A SHOE UPPER, AN INFLATABLE MOULD OF GENERALLY HORSE-SHOE SHAPE IN PLAN AND COMPRISING A CURVED REAR PORTION AND FORWARDLY EXTENDING SIDE PORTIONS TO EMBRACE AN END PART OF A SHOE UPPER; MEANS PERMITTING THE SAID SIDE PORTIONS TO BE YIELDABLE LATERALLY OF THE MOULD TO ENABLE THE MOULD TO BE APPLIED TO AND TO GRIP THE END PART OF A SHOE UPPER, SAID MOULD HAVING A BACKING MEMBER AND RELATIVELY HARD BOUNDARY PORTION CARRIED THEREBY TO ENGAGE WITH A SHOE UPPER ADJACENT TO ITS FEATHER LINE, AN INFLATABLE BAG CONTAINED IN THE MOULD INWARDLY OF THE BACKING MEMBER AND HAVING A PORTION ADJACENT TO SAID RELATIVELY HARD PORTION, AND AN INNER FACING SHEET PROVIDED ON THE INTERIOR OF THE MOULD AND PRESENTING TO A SHOE AN ENGAGING SURFACE EXTENDING CONTINUOUSLY FROM THE FEATHER LINE TO A POINT BEYOND THE HEIGHT OF A SHOE UPPER AROUND THE END THEREOF, SAID FACING SHEET BEING BACKED PARTLY BY THE SAID RELATIVELY HARD BOUNDARY PORTION THROUGHOUT THE FEATHER EDGE PORTION THEREOF AND PARTLY BY THE SAID INFLATABLE BAG. 